ACPICA version 20100702 released

[Moore, Robert]

02 July 2010. Summary of changes for version 20100702:

This release is available at www.acpica.org/downloads

1) ACPI CA Core Subsystem:

Implemented several updates to the recently added GPE reference count support. The model for "wake" GPEs is changing to give the host OS complete control of these GPEs. Eventually, the ACPICA core will not execute any _PRW methods, since the host already must execute them. Also, additional changes were made to help ensure that the reference counts are kept in proper synchronization with reality. Rafael J. Wysocki.

1) Ensure that GPEs are not enabled twice during initialization.
2) Ensure that GPE enable masks stay in sync with the reference count.
3) Do not inadvertently enable GPEs when writing GPE registers.
4) Remove the internal wake reference counter and add new AcpiGpeWakeup interface. This interface will set or clear individual GPEs for wakeup.
5) Remove GpeType argument from AcpiEnable and AcpiDisable. These interfaces are now used for "runtime" GPEs only.

Changed the behavior of the GPE install/remove handler interfaces. The GPE is no longer disabled during this process, as it was found to cause problems on some machines. Rafael J. Wysocki.

Reverted a change introduced in version 20100528 to enable Embedded Controller multi-byte transfers. This change was found to cause problems with Index Fields and possibly Bank Fields. It will be reintroduced when these problems have been resolved.

Fixed a problem with references to Alias objects within Package Objects. A reference to an Alias within the definition of a Package was not always resolved properly. Aliases to objects like Processors, Thermal zones, etc. were resolved to the actual object instead of a reference to the object as it should be. Package objects are only allowed to contain integer, string, buffer, package, and reference objects. Redhat bugzilla 608648.

Example Code and Data Size: These are the sizes for the OS-independent acpica.lib produced by the Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 32-bit compiler. The debug version of the code includes the debug output trace mechanism and has a much larger code and data size.

  Previous Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  88.3K Code, 18.8K Data, 107.1K Total
    Debug Version:     164.1K Code, 51.5K Data, 215.6K Total
  Current Release:
    Non-Debug Version:  88.3K Code, 18.8K Data, 107.1K Total
    Debug Version:     164.0K Code, 51.5K Data, 215.5K Total

2) iASL Compiler/Disassembler and Tools:

iASL: Implemented a new compiler subsystem to allow definition and compilation of the non-AML ACPI tables such as FADT, MADT, SRAT, etc. These are called "ACPI Data Tables", and the new compiler is the "Data Table Compiler". This compiler is intended to simplify the existing error-prone process of creating these tables for the BIOS, as well as allowing the disassembly, modification, recompilation, and override of existing ACPI data tables. See the iASL User Guide for detailed information.

iASL: Implemented a new Template Generator option in support of the new Data Table Compiler. This option will create examples of all known ACPI tables that can be used as the basis for table development. See the iASL documentation and the -T option.

Disassembler and headers: Added support for the WDDT ACPI table (Watchdog Descriptor Table).

Updated the Linux makefiles for iASL and AcpiExec to place the generated object files in the local directory so that there can be no collisions between the shared files between them that are generated with different options.

Added support for Mac OS X in the Unix OSL used for iASL and AcpiExec. Use the #define __APPLE__ to enable this support.